*** Big Wall Air-Rescue Techniques ***

From: Alistair Read alread@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Thursday, July 24, 1997 6:00 PM


In the UK we have some largish cliffs and the Royal Airforce are often
called to assist with recoveries from them by air. In the UK it is quite
common to use your method 1 of lowering ropes and lifting or lowering the
casualty.

> I have heard of three methods: 1) long-line hauling/lowering [lots of
> PT and time];


Using a helicopter the preferred method; a direct winch but if access
is difficult then a 'hi-line' transfer is used, similar to your side-
swing method but with a bit more control. The helicopter comes into the
hover above the incident site (but in a safe hover) and a weighted haul
line is dropped and then swung into the casualties party. This haul line
is used to pull the winchman into the scene, as well as to control the
winch out of the cas. The aim is to stop the hugh swing that can build,
there should be almost no requirement to cut loose because a back rope
system can be arranged to protect the last person off the cliff. This has
been used successfully on the sea cliffs at Gogarth, North Wales which are
600ft high and have an overhang of about 10ft, making it very difficult to
access by helo. In one incident a casualty with severe head injuries was
recovered this way some 400ft down the cliff face.


Regards Alistair


alread@cix.compulink.co.uk
Team Member - Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue
North Wales, UK

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